Last Modified: Friday, July 5, 2013 at 11:10 a.m.

Barbara Hughes, owner of Narnia Studios in Hendersonville, promotes a number of community activities, including Chalk It Up! on Saturday.

MIKE DIRKS /TIMES -NEWS

Facts

Want to go?

What: Chalk It Up! sidewalk chalk art contest

When: All day Saturday (rain dates are July 20 and 27)

Where: Main Street, Hendersonville

Info: Call Barbara Hughes atNarnia Studios, 697-6393

"I love this town so much. If it had a fan club, I'd be the president," Hughes said.

Hughes' love for the community shows in just about everything she does.

Visitors to her store on Main Street are greeted with a big smile and a "Good morning, is there anything I can help you with?" from Hughes as soon as they enter.

She sells mostly American-made goods in the store that she describes as "dazzling, delightful, American-made whimsy."

"ABC News" featured the hand-made treasure boxes Hughes makes and sells in Narnia during a segment about American-made items. She also sells solar-powered wind chimes that are made in America and flaming rock oil lamps made from local slate among the fairies figurines, paintings and many other unique creations filling the store's shelves.

Hughes said she began stocking her store with American-made items a few years ago because it was the right thing to do.

"Back in the day, almost everything was made in America. But over the years, you don't realize it (foreign-made products) starts creeping in," she said. "I said, ‘No more.' It's made a huge difference. I can buy American, and I can help my customers buy American. It will at least have the ripple in the water reaction. I'm always trying to find the next cool American-made thing."

In addition to the items on her store shelves, Hughes is also a florist and sells flower arrangements from her business.

But Hughes' commitment to doing the right thing for her customers and the community doesn't stop with running a business friendly to American-made products and pretty flowers.

She has also for the past several years tried to enhance and uplift Hendersonville, especially downtown, through a variety of events she created.

Hughes, 56, laughed often while standing in her store on a recent summer day discussing her many ideas about how to bring out the best in Hendersonville. Her obvious enthusiasm for the town and her excitement about the events she sponsors to show off Hendersonville was infectious.

"I want everybody to love it as much as I do," she said with a wave of her hand and a gleam in her eye.

Hughes, who lived most of her life in Florida, moved to Hendersonville 19 years ago with her husband, 66-year-old Peter, and her three children, 28-year-old Katie, 23-year-old Cody and 20-year-old Caleb. She opened her business a year later.

Hughes said she uses slow times in her store or whenever she has a break to organize and plan the many events and activities she has created. She sends out nres releases to local, regional and even national news organizations about her activities in the hopes that she can spread the word about how special it is to live and work in Hendersonville.

Her efforts have been rewarded with coverage in local and regional news outlets as well as the spot on ABC News and a feature story in Southern Living magazine about the Chalk It Up! art contest she organized.

For the past 17 years, Hughes has held Chalk It Up! downtown. The event allows artists of all ages to draw on the sidewalk with chalk. As many as 150 artists usually participate in the free event, which is designed to promote Hendersonville as a city with a "heart for art," according to the Narnia Studios website.

Chalk It Up! will be held Saturday with rain dates on July 20 and July 27. Applications for space in the contest are available at Narnia Studios.

In addition to Chalk It Up, Hughes also sponsors the annual Mighty Kite Flight, which is held in April in conjunction with National Kite Month. This free kite-flying festival encourages people of all ages to bring a kite and fly it with other kite-flying enthusiasts.

Other events created and sponsored by Hughes include an annual Easter Bonnet Promenade on Main Street and a Tulip Extravaganza photo contest, which encourages photographers to take pictures of the tulips growing in planters on Main Street. She also sponsors a gingerbread cookie contest during the Christmas season.

Hughes has organized an essay contest for the past 17 years during Black History Month and was part of a committee that led the effort to name a park near Henderson County's Courthouse in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. She also helped in the effort to name a section of U.S. Highway 64 in honor of the slain civil rights leader.

In 2008, Hughes launched the website www.friendliestcityinamerica.com. She takes photographs of smiling faces around town and posts them on the website to show off all the friendly people in town. She also wrote letters to state and federal elected representatives asking for their support in calling Hendersonville the friendliest town in America. Hughes was eventually rewarded with a plaque from the N.C. Legislature that declared Hendersonville the friendliest city in America.

"I just see friendly people everywhere," she said.

Along with uplifting the community, Hughes admits that many of the events she organizes also bring business to her shop and the other stores downtown.

"The rising tide floats all boats," she said. "If I bring people here, it benefits my neighbor. It benefits everybody. Whatever I do to enhance downtown, it's going to benefit me eventually."

Hendersonville City Council member Jeff Collis called Hughes a cheerleader for downtown.

"If I have questions or want to have a liaison with downtown, she is one I will go to," he said. "She's a good spokesperson for downtown. I can always expect an honest opinion on what might be working and what might not. I like to get her opinion."

Collis and Lew Holloway, the city's downtown director, both praised Hughes' positive attitude and commitment to the town.

Holloway said he appreciates her ability to organize activities that draw visitors to town without calling on the city for assistance. Hughes' natural organizational skills allow him do his job better, he said.

"She's active in everything downtown," he said. "We touch base regularly. We are confident in each other's abilities."

Hughes said she is happy to do what she can to promote downtown and show others how much she loves Hendersonville.

"I live and work in the most wonderful community anywhere," she said.

For more information about Narnia Studios, visit www.narniastudios.com.

<p>Narnia Studios owner Barbara Hughes calls Hendersonville the friendliest city in America. And for nearly 20 years, she has been one of the town's best friends.</p><p>"I love this town so much. If it had a fan club, I'd be the president," Hughes said. </p><p>Hughes' love for the community shows in just about everything she does. </p><p>Visitors to her store on Main Street are greeted with a big smile and a "Good morning, is there anything I can help you with?" from Hughes as soon as they enter.</p><p>She sells mostly American-made goods in the store that she describes as "dazzling, delightful, American-made whimsy." </p><p>"ABC News" featured the hand-made treasure boxes Hughes makes and sells in Narnia during a segment about American-made items. She also sells solar-powered wind chimes that are made in America and flaming rock oil lamps made from local slate among the fairies figurines, paintings and many other unique creations filling the store's shelves.</p><p>Hughes said she began stocking her store with American-made items a few years ago because it was the right thing to do.</p><p>"Back in the day, almost everything was made in America. But over the years, you don't realize it (foreign-made products) starts creeping in," she said. "I said, 'No more.' It's made a huge difference. I can buy American, and I can help my customers buy American. It will at least have the ripple in the water reaction. I'm always trying to find the next cool American-made thing."</p><p>In addition to the items on her store shelves, Hughes is also a florist and sells flower arrangements from her business.</p><p>But Hughes' commitment to doing the right thing for her customers and the community doesn't stop with running a business friendly to American-made products and pretty flowers. </p><p>She has also for the past several years tried to enhance and uplift Hendersonville, especially downtown, through a variety of events she created.</p><p>Hughes, 56, laughed often while standing in her store on a recent summer day discussing her many ideas about how to bring out the best in Hendersonville. Her obvious enthusiasm for the town and her excitement about the events she sponsors to show off Hendersonville was infectious.</p><p>"I want everybody to love it as much as I do," she said with a wave of her hand and a gleam in her eye.</p><p>Hughes, who lived most of her life in Florida, moved to Hendersonville 19 years ago with her husband, 66-year-old Peter, and her three children, 28-year-old Katie, 23-year-old Cody and 20-year-old Caleb. She opened her business a year later. </p><p>Hughes said she uses slow times in her store or whenever she has a break to organize and plan the many events and activities she has created. She sends out nres releases to local, regional and even national news organizations about her activities in the hopes that she can spread the word about how special it is to live and work in Hendersonville.</p><p>Her efforts have been rewarded with coverage in local and regional news outlets as well as the spot on ABC News and a feature story in Southern Living magazine about the Chalk It Up! art contest she organized.</p><p>For the past 17 years, Hughes has held Chalk It Up! downtown. The event allows artists of all ages to draw on the sidewalk with chalk. As many as 150 artists usually participate in the free event, which is designed to promote Hendersonville as a city with a "heart for art," according to the Narnia Studios website.</p><p>"It's always free. It's always old-fashioned," Hughes said. "It will create memories for whoever is involved."</p><p>Chalk It Up! will be held Saturday with rain dates on July 20 and July 27. Applications for space in the contest are available at Narnia Studios.</p><p>In addition to Chalk It Up, Hughes also sponsors the annual Mighty Kite Flight, which is held in April in conjunction with National Kite Month. This free kite-flying festival encourages people of all ages to bring a kite and fly it with other kite-flying enthusiasts.</p><p>Other events created and sponsored by Hughes include an annual Easter Bonnet Promenade on Main Street and a Tulip Extravaganza photo contest, which encourages photographers to take pictures of the tulips growing in planters on Main Street. She also sponsors a gingerbread cookie contest during the Christmas season.</p><p>Hughes has organized an essay contest for the past 17 years during Black History Month and was part of a committee that led the effort to name a park near Henderson County's Courthouse in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. She also helped in the effort to name a section of U.S. Highway 64 in honor of the slain civil rights leader.</p><p>In 2008, Hughes launched the website www.friendliestcityinamerica.com. She takes photographs of smiling faces around town and posts them on the website to show off all the friendly people in town. She also wrote letters to state and federal elected representatives asking for their support in calling Hendersonville the friendliest town in America. Hughes was eventually rewarded with a plaque from the N.C. Legislature that declared Hendersonville the friendliest city in America.</p><p>"I just see friendly people everywhere," she said.</p><p>Along with uplifting the community, Hughes admits that many of the events she organizes also bring business to her shop and the other stores downtown.</p><p>"The rising tide floats all boats," she said. "If I bring people here, it benefits my neighbor. It benefits everybody. Whatever I do to enhance downtown, it's going to benefit me eventually."</p><p>Hendersonville City Council member Jeff Collis called Hughes a cheerleader for downtown.</p><p>"If I have questions or want to have a liaison with downtown, she is one I will go to," he said. "She's a good spokesperson for downtown. I can always expect an honest opinion on what might be working and what might not. I like to get her opinion."</p><p>Collis and Lew Holloway, the city's downtown director, both praised Hughes' positive attitude and commitment to the town.</p><p>Holloway said he appreciates her ability to organize activities that draw visitors to town without calling on the city for assistance. Hughes' natural organizational skills allow him do his job better, he said.</p><p>"She's active in everything downtown," he said. "We touch base regularly. We are confident in each other's abilities."</p><p>Hughes said she is happy to do what she can to promote downtown and show others how much she loves Hendersonville.</p><p>"I live and work in the most wonderful community anywhere," she said.</p><p>For more information about Narnia Studios, visit www.narniastudios.com.</p>